Albert Garza | GSA Region 7 Small Business Specialist (Ft Worth, TX)

Small Business Success Tips Podcast (episode 17)

Summary: Albert Garza offers valuable tips for connecting with business specialists face-to-face, maximizing the benefits of outreach events, crafting strategic capability statements, comprehensive DSBS profiles and doing the contracting officers' homework for them.

Guest Bio: Located in Ft. Worth, Texas, Albert Garza is the lead Small Business Specialist for the General Services Administration (GSA) supporting Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, so, a broad range out there in the Southwest. As Director of Small Business Utilization for GSA's Greater Southwest Region. he promotes increased access to GSA’s nationwide procurement opportunities, and activities that make it possible for the small business community to meet key contracting experts and to receive counseling on the federal procurement process.

Albert Garza has over 25 years of government procurement experience at both the federal and local levels and a masters degree in Urban Studies from Trinity University. He has held various positions with GSA’s Federal Supply Service in Fort Worth and San Diego and  been an economic development specialist and contract officer for San Antonio’s Economic Development Department. In 2007, he returned to GSA as the Director for the Small Business Utilization Office located in Fort Worth. 

Through his experience working in the local economic development departments, he's gained a strong appreciation for the value small businesses bring to the local community, and he remains committed to the success of small businesses.

In this episode, Albert Garza describes: 

• how small business specialists guide businesses through 'the federal contracting maze' and position their companies as Solutions Providers, not just small businesses
• opportunities for regional one-on-one meetings, presentations and matchmaking events
• GSA Acquisition Center which deals with international contracts
• how to find regional small business events on FedBizOpps 
• participating in industry days on military bases and meeting the people who actually make the buying decisions
• matchmaking sessions (business event speed dating) – 15 minutes to tell business specialists about your business and learn how federal agencies can help
• power of conferences for meeting state and local governments, federal agencies and large government contractors
• target marketing to the 3 customers on every military base – the end user, the contracting officer and the senior executive 
• the different needs of the 3 customers: product, price and net impact
• how SBLs, small business liaison officers, help connect businesses with large primes
• how PTACs can help business craft strategic capability statements, structured correctly for both large government contractors and federal agencies
• benefits of doing the contracting officer's homework for them so they don’t have to go to DSBS
• creating comprehensive, accurate DSBS profiles for positive contracting officer visibility
• the key to the game is getting on the shortlist –respond to Sources Sought 
• importance of reading solicitations in detail, even the 500-page GSA versions
• other issues including: the GSA SmartPay Program

CONTACT ALBERT GARZA:  [email protected] or (817) 978-2828 

Although he serves small businesses in the Greater Southwest Region of GSA, he generously invites listeners to call with any questions regarding government procurement at GSA or other federal agencies nationwide.

  *Also reference: Albert J. Garza GSA Small Business Utilization Office Fort Worth, Texas Doing Business With GSA (SlidePlayer.com)

Host:  Neil McDonnell is an experienced small business owner and seasoned entrepreneur. An Army veteran and the founder HUBZone Chamber of Commerce, Neil is a government contracting subject expert and HUBZone advocate for media and conferences.

His podcast series offers key information and tips to help small businesses gain insight into government agencies and large prime contractors and develop strategies to effectively present services.